1. Field of the Invention
The disclosure generally relates to a method and apparatus for devising a high density superconductor. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for reducing inductor footprint in a superconducting circuit while increasing inductance.
2. Description of Related Art
With recent developments in superconductor technology, superconductor devices using the Josephson junction effect are replacing conventional devices based on semiconductor technology for high performance and low power. Digital circuits that employ superconductor technology are often desirable because such devices can consume very little power while operating at very high clock speeds as compared with their semiconductor counterparts. Because of low power consumption, it is possible to make systems very compact. Other benefits for signal transmission using superconducting devices include reduced signal attenuation and noise. Digital circuits that employ superconductor devices can operate at clock speeds exceeding 100 GHz.
A Josephson junction is a weak link between two superconducting materials where carriers tunnel across the junction. As long as the current through the junction is less than a critical current (Ic), the junction will be superconducting. A bias current is applied to the junction that is below the critical current. When additional current, for example, from an analog signal, is applied to the junction so that the current exceeds the critical current, the junction will generate a voltage pulse. The voltage pulse corresponds to a quantum leap in the magnetic phase of the junction, which will create a single flux quantum (SFQ) voltage pulse across the junction. The area of the SFQ voltage pulse generated at the junction is determined by fundamental physical constants and is Φ0=h/2e, where h is the Planks constant (6.6262×10−34 Joule seconds), and e is the fundamental electrical charge (1.602×10−19 Coulombs).
The SFQ pulses can be used to transmit data at very high frequencies. The SFQ pulses are transmitted by coupling a series of Josephson junctions together to provide a Josephson transmission line (JTL). When a particular Josephson junction in a JTL receives an SFQ pulse from a preceding Josephson junction, the pulse causes the junction to emit a voltage pulse, such that the SFQ pulse is recreated to continue propagating along the JTL. A discussion of JTLs operating in this manner can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,507,234, issued Jan. 14, 2003 to Johnson et al., assigned to the Assignee of this application, and herein incorporated by reference for background information.
JTL serves as interconnect for Josephson logic gates. Both JTL and logic gates use inductive interconnects. At lower temperature, lower power can be achieved with reduced Josephson junction critical current, which requires proportional increase in inductance of interconnect. The conventional inductive element is a strip. According to the conventional methods increasing inductance requires extending the length of the inductor. A bigger inductor requires a larger footprint on the micro circuit which is defeating to the concept of using Josephson junctions to miniaturize the circuit. Thus, there is a need for method and apparatus for high density superconductor inductive element with relatively smaller footprint.